The win is the third straight for the Huskies, who finished their non-conference season at 6-6 and open Mid-American Conference play Wednesday night at Toledo.

The Huskies trailed 47-33 to CSU when freshman Brittney Callahan (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) hit a three-pointer with 12:50 left to spark an NIU run. Northern Illinois then outscored Chicago State 20-10, capped by a Kylie York (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) three-pointer, to get within one point with five minutes left.

Mauvolyene Adams (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook), who sat from almost the entire game with foul trouble, sunk a lay-up to give NIU a 58-57 lead. Adams followed with two more buckets to extend the Huskie lead to five and help seal the win.

York got the Huskies off to a quick start with back-to-back three-pointers, and Courtney Shelton (Rockford, Ill./Hononegah) followed with another to give NIU a 9-5 lead five minutes into the contest. Chicago State answered with a 14-0 run, but a 14-9 NIU spurt to finish the half brought the Huskies within two. NIU entered the locker room down 34-32 despite being outshot from the field by 24 percent.

Chicago State opened the second half on fire, extending the lead by 12 to 47-33, before Callahan ignited the NIU offense and the comeback win.

Junior forward Ebony Ellis (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Township) recorded her third consecutive double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. York led NIU in scoring with 15 points, and contributed five assists to go with a career-high six steals. Marke Freeman (Springfield, Ill./Lanphier) contributed 13 points, three assists and four steals.

The Huskies used a 17-to-10 assist-to-turnover ratio to overcome 34.8 percent shooting from the field. Chicago State hit 48 percent of their attempts from the field, but turned the ball over 21 times.

The Cougars (5-11, 0-0 Great West) were led by the 20-point effort of Courtney Waldon. Her sister, Alyssa Waldon, added nine points and nine assists.

NIU opens Mid-American Conference play, Wednesday, Jan. 6 against West Division rival Toledo on the road before home games Jan. 9 against Ball State and Jan. 12 versus Western Michigan. Tickets are available online at www.niuhuskies.com or by calling the NIU ticket office at (815) 752-6800.